eastman



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. EASTMAN & W. H. WALKER. A APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SENSITIVE PEOTOGRAPHIG FILMS.

No. 358,848. Patented Mar. 8, 1887.

WITNESSES INVEJVTOlS: A UW Y WfZ-JA L 5AA. 035M,

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N PETERS. Photo-Ulbognpher, Wilhinglon. D. G

(No Model.) 2 SheetsShe-et 2.

G. EASTMAN & W. H. WALKER. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SENSITIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC FILMS.

No. 358,848. P gtented Mar.8,1887.

82A W13, @7 3. tga ca .dttarney I UNITED GEORGE EASTMAN AND \VILLIAM H. \VALKER, OF ROCHESTER, NEWV YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THE EASTMAN DRY PLATE AND FlLM COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SENSITIVE PHOTOGRAPHlC FILMS.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358.848, dated March 8, 1887.

Applicaiionfilod October 25, 1884. Serial No. 146,449. (No model.)

T (1% whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE EASTMAN and WILLIAM H. WALKER, citizens of the United States, residing at Rochester, New York, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Sensitive Photographic Films, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

[0 Our present invention relates to improvements in the apparatus for manufacturing our improved sensitive flexible photographic films, such as described in Letters Patent Nos. 306,594 and 306,470, issued October 14, 1884, r 5 which improvements are fully described in the following specification, and the novel fea tures thereof specified in the annexed claims. Ourimproved apparatus for manufacturing sensitive photographic films is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 represents a portion of the apparatus, showing the coating devices on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism which operates the rollers which support the coated films while drying. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 6 and 7 represent end and plan views of the coatingroll, respectively. Fig. 8 is aplan View of the c0ating-rol1, showing'the scraper. Fig. 9 is a sectional viewshowing the mechanism for feed ing the rollers onto the elevating-chains.

Our improved apparatus consists, essentially, of a suitable frame or frame-work, A, which supports the roll of uncoated paper B and the coating apparatus, and of a suitable mechanism, (shown at the left hand in Fig. 1,) in which the coated paper is automatically hung up to dry in pendent loops.

The coating apparatus is illustrated on an enlarged scale in Fig. 3, in which E is a roll of uncoated paper, the course traversed by which as it is unwound, coated, and passed through the machine being represented by the 4.5 line B. The roll of paper is provided with suitable journals projecting from each end and arranged to revolvein hearings in the uprights D, attached to a bar, G, of the supporting-frame. The trough for containing the substratum or the emulsion which is to be applied to the paper is represented at E.

F F are a pair of guide -rollers between which the paper passes.

G is another guide-roll, and H the coating roll, the lower side of which runs in the fluid in the trough E.

I, J, K, L, and M are other .rollcrs, about which the paper passes on its way to the loop ing and drying part of the apparatus.

Power is applied to the machine by means of the drivingshaft N, Figs. 1 and 2, which receives motion from a belt running over the pulley O, and distributes it by means of the belts or b c. t

While it isadvantageous to apply power to all of the rolls, we have found in practice that it is possible to feed the paper by driving the roll M in connection with one of the intermediate rolls, preferably the roll I, next the trough containing the emulsion. 70

The rolls F F, if used, are supported in any suitable manner from the main frame, so that the paper passes through them as it leaves the roll B, andis to a certain extent guided and caused to unroll smoothly by'them. The roller G is sustained in place by the frame I, pivoted at f to the standards D, so that it can be swung upward to afford access to the coatingroll, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The roller G serves to wrap the paper closely about the coating-roll H on the side on which it runs onto the latter. The coating-roll revolves in suitable journals attached to the trough E in such position that the lower por tion of the roll, with the paper wound about it, is immersed in the emulsion or other liquid. The roll is made longer than the width of the web of paper which it is designed to coat in the machine, and in order to prevent the liquid from covering the roll so as to smear the back of the paper or film we employ the scrapers e, Figs. 6 and 8, at each end of the roll, which are so shaped as to throw the liquid outward beyond the edges of the paper. The lower surface of the scraper bears on the upper side of the roll, and is made of a shape to correspond with the curvature of the roll. The

outer side of the scraper is inclined to the axis of the roll, as shown in Fig. 8, so that the operation of the scraper is, as the roll revolves,

- ient way of accomplishing this result is to support them by means of a rod or rods, d, passing through a block, h, fastened to a rod, 1, extending across the frame G. The blocks are secured to the rod by means of a set-scre w, which permit-spf the removal of the scraper from contact with the coating-roll.

The web of paper, when the machine is in operation, passes about the lower side of the coating-roller H, being coated on its outer or lower'surface as it passes around the roll. The coating-roll revolves from the friction of the paper. Sufficient tension may be maintained on the paper web by any suitable friction device acting on the paper-roll B or the rolls F F. The web of paper passes upward from the coating-roll about the roller I, which revolves in suitable supports or bearings. on the frame-work, and then horizontally about the roller J, and then descends, passing about one or more rollers, K L, below the coating devices, before it passes upward to M, from which it is delivered to the looping and drying apparatus. The web of coated paper may be caused-to pass more than once about the coating devices by means of a suitablyarranged set of rollers. The object of passing the coated paper around the coating devices is to allow sufficient time to elapse before the paper is delivered to the looping apparatus, to enable the coating to set or stiffen. The passing of the paper around the coating apparatus also increases the friction of the feeding-rolls I andMon the paper and enables them to draw it smoothly and easily. By running the paper upward and downward, also, we have observed that we secure greater uniformity in the coating.

The coating-roller H is preferably brass, with suitable bearings to support it on the centers on the trough E. We have, however,

used rubber and wooden rollers. It is unnecessary to remark that the trough and all metallic parts which come in contact with the sensitive emulsion should be formed of or plated with a metalsuch as silverwhich is which the loops of coated paper are suspended, are operated. The whole apparatus is supported by a suitable frame-work, which, for convenience of illustration, has been omitted in the drawings. Motion is transmitted to the elevating-chains S Sby means of sprocketwheels j j on ashaft .supported in bearings 1c 7c and receiving power from the main drivingshaft N by means of the belt a and suitable pulleys. Suitable inclined ways or guides,V, are arranged to support the chains, which travel upward along the upper sides of these inclined ways, as indicated by the arrows in the drawings. At their upper ends the chains run over the sprocket-wheels Y Y, Y Y, which revolve on suitable studs, ZZ, Fig. 4, projecting inward from the supporting-frame, but leaving the space between the wheels Y Y, Y Y open for the passage of the loops of paper 13 between them. The chains S S are provided with one or more projecting studs, m m, which carry the rollers U up the inclined guides V. The rollers are fed onto the chain automatically by the device represented in Fig. 10, in which j represents one of the. sprocket-wheels, and a an inclined trough or guide for the ends of the rollers, arranged just outside of the chain and wheel. The rollers are placed in the inclined guides 01, which are open at their upper ends for this purpose, and as fast as the lowest roller is carried upward by the lugs m on the chain S S the remainder of the rollers drop downward in the guides, so as to bring the lowest roller in position to be elevated. A notch or opening is made at 0, Fig. 10, in the guides, to permit of the removal of the lowest roller by the lugs on the chains. As the rollers are elevated up the inclined guides V V, they come in contact with the paper hanging in a curve between the roller M at the top of the frame A and the first roller U on the chains TT and elevate it in a loop. as shown at B B, Fig. 1. The.

chains T T are provided with a series of projecting lugs, 19 1), Figs. 4 and 5, arrangedat distances from each other equal to the width of the pendent loops of paper B. As the rollers arrive in succession at the upper ends of the chains S S, they are disengaged therefrom and placed on the chains T l" by the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The rollers U are made longer than the width of the chains, so that their ends project over the chains T T, which are placed just outside of the chains S S. The roller U, Fig. 4, arriving above the sprockets YY, comes in contact with the lugs 19 on the chains T T, and causes the latter to move onward for a distance equal to the width of the loops, the chains carrying all the pendent loops 13* along at the same time. The lug m is disengaged from the roller U as it moves onward by the inclination given to the chains S S, the sprockets Y Y being placed lower than the sprockets Y Y, so that as the chains S S move on in an inclined direction, while the rollers travel on horizontally or at a less inclination on the chains T T, the lugs m are gradually disengaged from their contact with the rollers, as represented at m, Fig. 4, so that the motion of the chains T T is arrested when the roller arrives at U, Fig. 4, and the paper hangs in a loop between rollers U and M, ready for the next roller in the series to be elevated by the chains S S, forming another loop of paper, as already described.

Guides NV, Fig.4, (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5,) are placed above the outer ends of the rollers, to prevent any tendency in the rollers to be forced upward by the lugs m and 1). Between the sprockets Y'Y the chains S S are supported by the guide Z, Fig. 4, which is fastened. to theplates or frame-work q g, which support this part of the apparatus. Aspring, r, is used to prevent the rollers from moving backward accidentally or by the weight of loop between U and M, being arranged to yield into a recess in the plate g when the ends of the rollers pass by it. The chains T T are preferably inclined, so that their upper sides run downward slightly, thereby insuring that the rollers shall remain in contact with the lugs or studs 1) on the chains. The chains T T may be supported in place by suitable ways or guides.

It is unnecessary to remark that the appara tus should be used in coating sensitive emulsion in a suitable non-actiniclight. Provision should also be made to maintain the liquid in the trough E at a suitable temperature during the coating operation by making the trough with an internal partition, into which steam or hot water are admitted.

WVe prefer to make the trough of such a form that the coating-roller reaches almost to the bottom of it, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The method of coating paper with sensitized gelatinoargentic emulsion, as described, is not claimed herein, but is reserved for a separate application prepared and about to be filed by us.

We are aware that it is not new to coat a web of paper by causing the same to move in contact with a roll partially submerged in the coating material, the roll operating to transfer the material to the web, as illustated in the patents to Hale, No. 87,407, and Ferguson, N 0. 201,340; and we are also aware of the fact that machines for coating fabrics have been devised wherein the coating material isapplied to the web and spread evenly thereon by the action of scrapers, and the web is carried by rollers and deposited on a dryingframe, as described in patents to Allen, No. 162,332, and Ohaffee, No. 44,281; hence we do not claim said matters, our invention involving the use of a partially-submerged roller, by which the paper is carried into the emulsion to be coated on one side only, a series of carrying or conducting rolls and a hang-up frame of any approved construction being located at such distance from the coating-roll that the gelatino-argentic emulsion may have time to set before the web is deposited on the drying-frame.

As will be readily understood, the coating of endless strips or webs of paper with a thin uniform coating of sensitized emulsion such as is desirable for photographic purposes is attended with much difliculty; and in order to properly distribute the coating and maintain it of a uniform and even thickness while setting and drying, the paper must be held under a certain degree of tension sufficient to feed the paper through the machine and hold it fiat, and at the same time not great enough to draw the paper unevenly, so as to form wrinkles in the surface.

The ordinary feeding devices, such as are usually employed for drawing webs of paper or fabrics through coating machinery, cannot be applied in machines of the kind herein de scribed, for the reason, among others, that the paper as it emerges from the bath is wet and limp, its coating of sensitized gelatine is in a semi-fluid state, and will not bear handling; hence the feed devices, which must be positive and uniform in action, must be so arranged and applied as not to bear upon or in any way make contact with the coated face of the paper. It is for this reason that the paper in our machineis carried around rollers so disposed as to retain the coated web in motion for a length of time suiiicient to permit the hard ening of the coating before the web is delivered to the drying mechanism, and we utilize two or more of the rolls over which the coated web is passed as feeding devices by applying power to rotate said rolls, the frictional contact with the undersurface of the paper being found just sufficient to properly carry the paper without unduly straining or wrinkling it.

It is to be borne in mind that the paper web as it emerges is impregnated with moisture, and is in condition to receive the impression of any irregular or pointed object pressed against it from either face; hence nothing but smooth plain-faced rolls can be used as feeders or sustainers. The necessities of the case demand, therefore, a feeding mechanism which, when applied to the back of the coated paper, shall be competent to operate thereon by the frictional contact of a smooth and even surface to draw the paper evenly and regularly through the machine and deposit it in a loose condition upon the drying-frame. All these neces sary conditions are fulfilled in the machine herein described, The rollers M and I being driven-the one, I, applied immediately above the coating-bath, and the other, M, at the delivery end of the machine-th e roll I operates upon the web before the moisture has permeated the paper and while the latter is of sufficient strength to sustain the strain without wrinkling. The roll M operates to carry the paper extending between it, and the roll 1, holds it under tension over the intermediate rollers, and serves the very important purpose of holding the web against and in con* tact .with the surface of roll I, so that the latter will take hold of and carry the web. By applying the traction at two or more points in the length of the web the strain upon the paper is evenly distributed, instead of being concentrated at one point, as would be the case were a single driven roll employed.

WVe claim 1. The combination, in a machine for coating a continuous web of paper with sensitized emulsion, of the trough, the immersion-roller projected within the trough with its upper face above the level of the liquid, so that one face only of the paper will be brought in contact with the liquid when drawn around said roller, a series of smooth-faced rolls disposed at intervals around the trough, a hang-up or drying frame, and driving mechanism applied to the last and one or more of the intermediate rollers, substantially as described, whereby the web of paper is drawn through the emulsion and held pressed against the surface of the immersion-roller by the frictional contact of its uncoated face with the smooth surface of the driven roller.

2; In an organized machine for automatic ally coating a continuous web of paper with sensitized emulsion, the combination of the following instrumentalities: supports for the roll of paper, a trough for containing the sensitized emulsion in a fluid condition, a roller with its lower surface immersed in the trough and around whichthe paper is conducted to bring one face only in contact with the emulsion, a series of smooth-faced supporting-rolls for sustainingthe coated web and holding it under surface of the web and to conduct the latter around the supply-roll and coating devices, driving mechanism for rotating oneor more of the series of smooth supporting-rollers to effect the feeding of the web, and a hang-up or driving apparatus upon which the Coated paper is delivered and held suspended, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an organized machine for making sensitive gelatino-argentic paper for photographic use, the combination of one or more driven smooth-faced rolls for maintaining the coated paper in motion, a suitable hang-up machine, and acoating mechanism consistingofasmoothfaced roll partially submerged, in the coating material, said coating-roll being arranged at such a distance from the hang-up machine as to allow the gelatinous coating to set before it reaches the looping-slat, substantially as described.

4. In a machine for coating paper with sensilized gelatinous emulsion, the combination, with the trough and means for heating the emulsion contained therein, of a roller partially immersed in the liquid emulsion around which the paper is drawn, so that one face only will be brought into contact with the emulsion and receive a coating thereof, suitable paper-feeding rolls, and a delivery-roller arranged at such a distance from the trough that the paper is kept continuously in motion until the film has set. before delivery to the hang-up frame, as set forth.

, GEORGE EASTMAN.

WVILLIAM H. XVALKER. \Vitnesses:

' H. G. Hanna 0. W. ALL'rsoN. 

